S'porean man fined S$4,500 after his unleashed bull terrier bites another dog & drags its owner on road

A Singaporean man was fined S$4,500 on Nov. 26 for failing to leash or muzzle his male bull terrier in a public place, leading to the injury of another dog and its owner in October 2023.

According to court documents seen by Mothership, Ng Boon Siong's dog had bitten a Shiba Inu dog that was on a walk with its owner along Jalan Taman at around 8am on Oct. 23, 2023.

Miso, the Shiba Inu, sustained injuries, as well as its owner, who was dragged across the ground during the incident.

Bull terrier bit into shiba inu and dragged owner onto the road

Ng, who was playing fetch with his bull terrier near a playground, had continuously thrown a ball along the road for the dog to pick up.

It was not leashed or muzzled at the time.

According to the National Parks Board (NParks), a bull terrier is required by law to be leashed or muzzled at all times in public as it is a scheduled species.

As such, court documents indicated the dog was "not under the control" of Ng at the time.

In the midst of playing fetch, Ng's dog suddenly "charged" towards Miso, which was leashed and its owner, who is only identified in the documents as Ooi.

Ooi immediately pulled Miso away.

However, the bull terrier had bitten onto Miso's harness, and Ooi ended up being dragged down the road.

Only stopped when hit by Ng's helper

Ng tried to pull his dog away and also unsuccessfully tried to hit it on its face to stop the attack.

His domestic helper later came to his aid and hit it with an object which looked like a whip and a leash.

Only then did the bull terrier release its bite on Miso, and the domestic helper was able to pull it back into Ng's house.

Miso suffered an abrasion on its snout, and its harness was damaged.

Ooi sustained an abrasion on his left knee and also sprained his right ankle.

He also suffered scratches on his torso and abrasions on his fingers from being dragged onto the road.

Previously fined for similar offences

According to court documents, Ng was previously fined three times for offences under the Animals and Birds (Dog Licensing and Control) Rules by the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS).

On Dec. 21, 2022, he was issued two fines of S$200 each for failing to leash and muzzle his dog in public.

On Sep. 14, 2023, he was fined S$1,000 for not being in control of his dog and letting it off his premises.

In a statement on Nov. 28, the AVS reminded all pet owners to be considerate and practise responsible pet ownership.

Owners are reminded to leash their dog in public places and to always ask the other pet owner before allowing any interactions between pets.

"For meetings with non-pet owners, be mindful of personal space and keep your dog close to prevent any unwelcome advances," an AVS spokesperson said.

Members of the public may also refer to the NParks website for more information about the legal and communal guidelines for owning a dog.

Aside from bull terriers, scheduled dog species that must be leashed and muzzled in public include pit bulls, German shepherds, rottweilers, mastiffs, and Akitas.

Top photos via State Courts & Canva